Don’t ignore the problem but staring at it is not the way forward.

The Way Forward

We have arrived in 2017. A new year. A fresh start. I hope you have taken some time to reflect on 2016 with gratitude. Before you jump into your New Year’s resolutions (if you do that sort of thing) I’d like to invite you to consider the merits of the one word resolution. A one word resolution is basically an intention, a word to guide us through our year. Here are my reasons that I love the one word resolution so much. And what it has to do with gratitude.

It helps you notice the problem without getting trapped in it.

One of the biggest misconceptions about practicing gratitude is that we ignore problems. This is not true. We are human and we have problems. No gratitude practice will eliminate problems. When we notice those problems we might get overwhelmed and it might be easier to look the other way. But please don’t. Look your problem straight on. Use your gratitude to learn from the problem. Use it to acknowledge all the resources you have to move past the problem. Use it to learn from your past successes. Use it to build hope. In this way practicing gratitude helps us to move forward focused on solutions.

And this is reason #1 that I love the one word resolution. The limitation of one word forces us to focus on the end result we want to accomplish. The problem may be what inspires us to make a change, but it is the solution that moves us forward. So instead of saying, “I don’t want to fight with my family.” We have to change our focus away from the problem. What do we want? A solution-focused resolution might sound like this: I want to spend quality time with my family, laughing and enjoying each other’s company. But if we only have one word that might be, Harmony.

It is adaptable.

So often we abandon our New Year’s resolution if it stops working for us. For instance if my New Year’s resolution is to put aside work every day at 6pm and that works for a while but then as the days grow longer I find myself working later hours I might be tempted to just quit. But if I have a one word resolution such as Relaxing. Then I can keep adapting the strategies I use to accomplish that goal. So maybe for a few months Relaxing has me working no later than 6, then for a few months it has me taking 2 hour relaxing lunch breaks, then for a few months I read for an hour every evening, etc.

It is expansive.

Last year my word was Collaboration. At first I had in mind co-facilitating so that my work wasn’t so lonely. But it became so much more than that. It became a way to be in a successful relationship with my partner. It became a way to be a caregiver to my niece and nephew. It became a way to see the universe. I would have never guessed that when the year began.

It is easy to remember.

One word. We can remember one word; no matter what. So one word makes it easy to keep our resolution at the top of our mind. And with it at the top of our mind, we can check to see if our day to day actions are in alignment. If I choose Nutritious as my word then I can check in with myself when I am getting lunch. And if the greasy taco burgers are not fitting my one word resolution I can decide to get a salad on the side.

A word of caution.

Sometimes these one word resolutions can be so intangible that we never even get started. So while the one word sets the direction we need tangible actions to get us there. Don’t forget to act. So while I may choose the word Love to guide me it is the actions of love that will help me accomplish that. Such as stopping what I am doing to greet my girlfriend with a hug and kiss or making eye contact and smiling at the grocery store clerk.

 

Wishing you a 2017 filled with __________. Fill in the blank with your one word resolution.

Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now.
~Goethe

What are you grateful to understand about a problem you have in your life?

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[su_note note_color=”#e7e7e7″ text_color=”#686767″ radius=”0″] My gratitude journey started in May 2011 and continues to this day. Thank you for being a part of it! A daily gratitude practice is simple. Write down three things you are grateful for each day. Download your free GratitudeGuide. My clients focus on gratitude and learn from their successes to make the positive changes they want in their lives. You can too. Call me to set up our first meeting 505.333.9336. [/su_note]